Separate /usr partition

[Robert Nichols]

On 04/15/2011 12:21 PM, Gabriel Ramirez wrote:
> On 04/15/2011 08:49 AM, Robert Nichols wrote:
>> You want an ugly workaround?  How about keeping your separate /usr, but
>> keep a very stripped-down copy (just the stuff needed during boot) under
>> the /usr directory on your root file system.  That will, of course, all
>> be hidden when the separate /usr file system gets mounted.
>
> well I don't mind a ugly workaround, meanwhile my system works.
>
> my current system F14 works, at least I don't see anything broken with it.
>
> if when I install F15:
>
> all works fine, well thats it. ( maybe will be lucky)
> if it's broken well time to look a workaround not necessarily this one
>
> I have workarounds in other parts of my Fedora systems, so a workaround
> more to keep the system working will be fine
>
> copying /usr/bin /bin to / will not work under my actual partition / is
> too small for them.
>
> but well maybe I can a create it a little bigger, and I'm familiar with
> bind mounts and rsync , so thanks by sharing this workaround

Not even 1% of the programs in /usr/bin are relevant to the boot process.
You need those, such libraries from /usr/lib (or /usr/lib64) that they need,
some bits from /usr/share (/usr/share/hwdata in particular), probably a few
more bits and pieces that I haven't taken the time to track down.

[SNIP]
>> Now /usr0 is your window into that overlaid /usr directory.  You can use
>> rsync with the "--existing" option to update just the files that you
>> placed in that root fs /usr.
>
> better leave out that flag, because if install new daemon will be not
> included.

There aren't many daemons that run before the local file systems have been
mounted.  Should you happen to install one of those, _and_ it misguidedly
installs in /usr, then you'll have something to add to your minimal root
filesystem version of /usr.  Using the "--existing" flag ensures that only
the files you've deemed necessary get copied, not the whole directory.

Hardest part, really, is coming up with a meaningful test.  My systems,
like yours, currently boot just fine with a separate /usr file system, so
there's not much way to know if you've missed something that should, at
least in theory, have been included.

-- 
Bob Nichols     "NOSPAM" is really part of my email address.
                 Do NOT delete it.